WHITE HOUSE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
April 6, 2000

China's Human Rights Record The White House China Trade Relations Working Group

Online NewsHour Special Report: The China Trade Debate Q&A: PNTR Debate: * Free Trade * Human Rights * Labor Dec. 1, 1999: A discussion on China, trade and democracy Nov. 18, 1999: An interview with U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky Nov. 15, 1999: A discussion on the U.S.-China Trade deal. July 30, 1999: Beijing cracks down on the meditation group Falun Gong. Feb. 26, 1999: The U.S. State Dept. releases its yearly human rights report. Dec. 30, 1998: A report on muzzling dissent in China. June 29, 1998: President Clinton challenges China on human rights. Online NewsHour Special Reports: The WTO and Global Trade The World Bank & IMF Complete NewsHour coverage of Asia     AFL-CIO Cato Institute Human Rights Watch International Brotherhood of Teamsters United States-China Business Council	The U.S. remains deeply concerned about human rights violations in China. Despite the clear expansion of personal freedom for huge numbers of Chinese citizens associated with economic reform over the past several decades, China continues to curtail freedom of speech, expression, assembly, association and religion. China maintains a one-party state that tolerates no organized opposition. Authorities engage in the extra-judicial arrest and detention of political and religious activists and restrict religious and spiritual practices. The U.S. is concerned by reports of exploitation of prison labor, human organ trafficking, and coercive family planning practices. Our WTO agreement and enactment of permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status for China will help move China in the right direction toward attainment of our human rights objectives. China's engagement with the international community has resulted in meaningful improvements in the lives of hundreds of millions of Chinese. The most repressive periods in recent Chinese history occurred in times of international isolation. Exposure to the outside world has brought to the Chinese people increased openness, social mobility and personal liberties. These include greater freedom of movement; greater choice of employment, schooling, and housing opportunities; and improved access to information. Over time, people-to-people contacts through the media, Internet and travel expose the Chinese public to international standards and values and will continue to gradually loosen rigid, authoritarian structures. Despite repression of religious groups not sanctioned by the government, membership in churches continues to grow. There are an estimated 50 million practicing Christians in China. The Chinese government and foreign observers estimate that over 90 percent of China's approximately 930,000 villages have held elections for local leaders. That means over 800 million rural Chinese have had access to a more democratic process for choosing village committee leaders. In recent years, exposure to international norms and legal systems has played a role in China's legal reform effort that is broadening citizens' rights. Reforms include the 1997 amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law which limit police detention of suspected criminals, the 1989 Administrative Procedure Law which allows citizens to sue government officials and the 1994 State Compensation Law which allows citizens who win such suits to collect damages. Engagement with China over the long-term will produce results. We have seen positive measures that bode well for the long-term: China has signed the U.N. Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the U.N. Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, although both await ratification by the National People's Congress. Chinese officials have hosted visits by U.S. religious leaders and the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Prominent dissidents Wei Jingsheng and Wang Dan were released abroad on medical grounds. China has expanded rule of law cooperation with the U.S. and other nations. Actively promoting the entire range of U.S. interests, familiarizing China with international standards, and communicating American ideas and values will advance the process of positive change in China. Engagement does not mean endorsement. The Administration's support for permanent normal trade relations is coupled with active efforts to promote respect for human rights and the rule of law, including respect for the unique religious, linguistic and cultural tradition of Tibetans. We continue to encourage a more pluralistic society. The Administration has consistently pressed its human rights concerns with China, including through President Clinton's direct statements to the Chinese people in June 1998. The U.S. sponsored a resolution at the 1999 session of the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva critical of China's human rights situation and is sponsoring a resolution this year. Secretary of State Albright went to Geneva in March 2000 to personally make the case for this year's resolution. We are working hard to elicit international support for our position. The U.S. maintains Tiananmen-era sanctions against China. The U.S. enforces U.S. laws banning imports produced by prison labor. The U.S. does not contribute funds, directly or indirectly, to China's family planning efforts. The United States strongly supports broadcasts of Radio Free Asia in China and the Asia Pacific region to promote the free flow of information and foster more open and prosperous societies. The President appointed an Ambassador At Large for International Religious Freedom who visited China in January 1999 to emphasize to Chinese authorities the priority we place on religious freedom. The United States has designated and sanctioned China as a "country of particular concern" for violations of religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act. The President has spoken out about China's repression of Falun Gong members peacefully pursuing spiritual interests. The Secretary of State has appointed a Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues to promote dialogue between the Dalai Lama and China. Our WTO agreement, and the provision of permanent normal trade relations to China that is necessary if we are to realize the full benefits of this historic opportunity, will advance our national interest by increasing the chance that China will open further to global forces that will empower its people, increase their access to information, expand their contact with the democratic world, and deepen their connections to outside influence and ideas.
	Source: White House China Trade Relations Working Group